Gate

So I was getting really bored sitting around waiting for new episodes of the current shows I am watching and now most are on delay it seems. UGH. So I decided to go back and watch something I hadn't finished watching and since it had been a little while since I last watched it I started it from the beginning. I think the whole reason I had stopped watching in the first place was because when I first came out there was some kind of break in the show and as I was waiting most likely started watching other things and then at some point totally forgot about it. Now that is not saying it isn't a good show because as it turns out I quite liked this anime. However I will say after finishing it this time there are so many holes in this thing. I ended up not being about to sleep last night cause it got me thinking about all kinds of things and what I wanted to write in this blog. So dumb!!

ATTENTION MAY BE SPOILERS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gate: Thus the Japanese Self-Defense Force Fought There

A 24 episode first season though if you look it up it might refer to the later half of the series as season 2 because like I mentioned before there was a short break before it started back up. I recently read though that another season was in the works which makes me feel better because hopefully some of the holes that I found might be metaphorically filled.

Like the title refers you guessed it a Gate appears more like mysterious tunnel in the middle you guessed it again Japan. Those that came through the gate were super dumb and started killing people. The hero of the show Itami well he is my type of guy lol. He is a giant Otaku (yay!!!) but apparently is part of JSF and later you'll find a damn good solider though he also makes the excuse his job is just to fund his main passion of being an Otaku. You learn a lot of amazing things about him that his fellow soldiers find crazy and unbelievable cause he is super lazy really. Which is just hilarious and it's kind of like me I feel.

After saving many lives during the invasion he gets prompted and soon finds himself on a team that would head through the gate to take the fight to them and secure the gate so something like this doesn't happen again. The people and empire on the other side never had a chance with our advance weaponry. They are stuck in a more Roman era with bows, swords, and shields. After establashing themselves and pretty much slaughtering everyone this is where the fun and story really begins.

Magic girls, animal girls, one or two demi gods, and some elves what more could you ask for. Oh how about a few rounds with a fire breathing dragon. Poor Itami ends of with a little bit of a harem. As they try to reach some peace talks with the kingdom in this other realm other forrces move from both sides. Apprently other nations other than Japan want to get there hands on the girls when them come back for a visit/military/public inquiry of sorts. That was a fun episode. Then there is King he is a big jerk, the Princess is really the one who lends her hands to peace talks. There are 2 Princes' one who is a totally idiot and sadistic freak which you get to see in an episode. nice silhouette action (XXX). The other prince is more thoughtful though we really don't get to see to much of him. So maybe next season we will see more from him. Idiot Prince some how comes into power and a little struggle happens but ultimately JSF gets the upperhand.

So at the end of the season kind of wraps up nicely with a few couples forming (lol) but there are too many holes in the story that really make me want another season to resolve the issues.

Also I will say the story travels quick but nicely, all the characters that come into play are nice but there were a few I wanted to know about them I guess cause they were so lovable. Mainly Itami's group. He ends up with a small unit under him and they pretty cool.

Okay second Prince barely sees any screen time and then disappears and leaves his sister to fend for herself, not that she is week she sorta made herself into a knight and started her own group under a rose banner. So she can fight but she is a bit naive really.

Here are some of my issues with the show. Now I am not military expert but they base the military a little too much like the American military in my opinion seems just odd. Playing TAPS and stuff and the way they operated seemed to similar. I only say this because I served myself. I don't think JSF would operate in the same manner. But like I said it is just my opinion.

*EDIT* I forgot about the issue of the actual Gate. Okay so in a later episode they go to a Mage city were Lelei who is a magical user is trying to become a master that's really side note. Anyway when they go the talk with the Grand Master and apparently Rory had given her homework. Basically to find out about the gate. The grand master begins to tell why there are some many different races there and well the turns out the gate has been opening and closing for a long time and each time it opened a new race would come through. Which one makes sense as to why the Empire showed up in the first place because they already knew it was going to open and and some point before the gate actual appears the boundaries had already blurred and they kidnapped a few Japanese citizens. So I bring this because they talk about and then it's almost like no one cares that the gate might close. Struck me quite odd that there was no emergency of telling superiors about this. Like I don't know how long the gate is suppose to stay open for. It's really not discussed at all. So I find that bit of info alarming cause I'm like you guys might get stuck there I don't know. Anyways this was the other thing that really bothered me about this show.

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GATE put to mind a short story by Harry Turtledove, "The Road Not Taken". Pretty sure it was in an issue of Analog on the 80's but all that era is in boxes in the garage so I'm not quite sure. Anyway, it was the same kind of scenario. The primitive but imperialistic invaders come to Earth in their wooden space ships held together with pitch and thinking themselves invincible with their kites and black-power clay bombs and flintlock muskets, and promptly get themselves blown away by tanks, fighter jets, and assault rifles. TRNT was similar in that it didn't follow through and have the Earthlings press their obvious technological advantage. Failing that, I'd have liked to see another season that started with the Gate closing and the people from Earth being cut off and having to fend for themselves in the new world.